Hello, Laguna! Herb Republic

Coming off from a meal that was heavy but not as satisfying, I zeroed in on the most healthy-sounding restaurant from TripAdvisor’s list of ‘top-rated restaurants’ near 88 Hotspring Resort: Herb Republic.

There are so many terms for restaurants like this nowadays, it can be a little confusing – vegan, vegetarian, farm-to-table, organic. In the case of Herb Republic, they are a farm business that extended into a restaurant. They support environmentally sound agricultural practices, and that’s not limited to herbs and vegetables. This is why chicken and pork are also on the menu 🙂

As the mom, and as a wife to a husband who will always answer ‘ikaw na bahala‘ (up to you – grrr!) when it comes to the where-to-eat question, I try very hard to steer the family towards healthier establishments (like The Corner Tree Cafe. Read on why we like that place a lot here: Loving Corner Tree Cafe).

Vegetables. Sometimes they have to be breaded and deep fried just so my family will eat them. Herb Republic’s Shiitake Mushroom Tempura.

It’s on me to make sure J and the kid gets some veggies and fruits into their system – even if it’s just a banana at times. I have a husband that can live off Spam and pizza until his golden years, and my daughter has developed a great fondness for pork – bacon, longanisa, liempo – that would rival a typical child’s love for fried chicken.

Fruits. Sometimes the only way you can take them is in liquid form.

This is what works best for us. By that I mean, everyone is happy and satisfied in a mommy kind of restaurant as long as it serves some kind of meat. And if our family sounds a lot like yours, or you just want to choose healthy for a change, then say hello to Herb Republic.

Ooh, nice!

That was my first impression. I’ve never met a former house renovated and re-purposed into a restaurant that I didn’t like. This restaurant in particular just embraced the fact that it’s formerly an old house and upped the boho factor.

The piano was an excellent touch as well, if only our daughter knew how to play it 😀

I’ve never ordered so many veggies before, but I’m also happy with everything I ordered. J and Aki shared the liempo and they were happy too.

Bok Choy Balls

Grilled pork bellyStir fried spinachTarragon iced tea

These days, that’s how I can get them to eat vegetables – it has to be paired with a protein they can’t refuse, like lechon kawali or pork chops. I mean, my kid just ate spinach. There wasn’t even any kind of dessert involved.